New Orleans Day I: Midcity and Toth

I spent the past Saturday evening through Tuesday morning in New Orleans, LA. I had hoped to be there for the day itself, and actually was but just at the airport so it doesn't really count. Even so, I came away once again impressed with New Orleans' blaring color and resilient, freewheeling energy.

After waking up on Sunday to a breakfast of King Cake and home-brewn kombucha at my college friend's house, I biked with him through Midcity to Uptown to see Toth, a parade celebrating the Egyptian ibis-headed god who, according to legend, maintains the universe. It's a collection of wildly adorned floats, marching bands, bouncing dance crews, and an eclectic assortment of other paraders and spectators.

I'll opine more in due time on further aspects of the trip, but wanted to at least get something on the page as a prelude to some truly wondrous pictures I was somehow able to capture using my delightful iPhone. Check back later for what will be a bulked up tale of my time in the Crescent City.

The Next One

I started planning my next road trip today. I'm not exactly sure when it'll take place (summer?) but it's going to start in Wisconsin, meander through the South Dakota Badlands, spill over into Wyoming's Tetons, climb into Idaho and the lithium hots springs near McCall, and then from there I'm not quite sure where it will wend. One option is the dusty pinnacles of Utah. Another is the soggy skies of Seattle. Yet another and far more delectable option is both. We shall see. Like with everything else, we shall see.

Ode to Camry

My 4,845 mile road trip would not have been possible without my trusty Camry. Simply put, I love that car. I realized how much I appreciated it about halfway through the trip and decided to start snapping the occasional picture. Here are the best ones of my faithful traveling companion.

The photos are from the following locations: (1.) Washington, DC after the trip had concluded; (2.) Black Canyon of the Gunnison; (3.) my hotel in Ouray; (4.) downtown Ouray; (5.) the Continental Divide in New Mexico; (6.) Austin.

A Look Back

I recently went through all the pictures from my road trip again and noticed these beauties that I didn't post originally (some of which have been enhanced). Sometimes a second pass makes you notice something that you didn't notice before.

The pictures are, in order: (1.) a lamppost along the banks of the Mississippi River in Dubuqe; (2.) Pearl St. and sky of Boulder; (3.) a rock ledge at Garden of the Gods; (4.) Blue Mesa Reservoir in Colorado; (5.) a church in Ouray; (6.) sunset at Mesa Verde; (7.) a valley road in Mesa Verde; (8.) a cafe in Austin.